Apparatus for dispensing liquids



PR 36,1935. F. s. sExToN I APPARATUS FOR DISPENSING LIQUIDS Filed July 51, 1955 /IVVENTOR BY WMM ATTO/ENE' Y Patented Apr. 16, 1935 UNTED STATES PArsNr OFFICE 8 Claims.

This invention relates to an improvement in apparatus for dispensing liquids and more particularly relates to an apparatus for dispensing liquids such as lubricating oil in stations which are commonly known as service stations where gasolene and lubricating oils are supplied to automobiles.

It is a modern trade practice for the manufacturers or reners of lubricating oil to spend great sums of money in national advertising campaigns to advertise their lubricating oils under a trademark name and to take greatcare that other lubricating oil is not substituted for the advertised trade-marl: oil at service stations where the dealer does not handle the advertised'product which is called fon or in case the dealer can make a larger proiit by substituting a different kind or quality of oil for the advertised trade-v marked oil which the automobile driver has called for.

The principal object of this invention is to forestall unscrupulous dealers from substituting lubricating oil of a different kind or quality from the kind or quality of the oil which is requested by the purchaser. A further object of the invention is to provide apparatus for dispensing oil whereby the purchaser will receive at the time of his purchase a check or tag which will identify the brand of oil which the purchaser receives. A further'object is to provide a puncturable insert container-carrying removable identification tag thereon for insertion within a dispensing apparatus Awherein the insert container may be' punctured in order to transfer the oil to the motor vehicle in the presence of the purchaser and the identification tag then removed and delivered to the purchaser. A further object is to provide an outer holder adapted to receive an insert container and to provide in such holder means for puncturing the insert container therein. A further object is to provide a device for dispensing lubricating oils in which a plurality of standard-sized containers may be inserted, and the oil selectively dispensed from said insert containers separately or in unison. A furtherv object is to provide a novel apparatus for dispensing lubricating oils at service stations where-V by the manufacturer or renner of the oil will have a form of control over the dispensing there- 'of from the time of wholesale sale of the product to the ltime that the product reaches the Aulti-r mate consumer. n

With the foregoing and other objects in View,

the invention consists in the novel construction and combination of parts hereinafter described,

and as illustrated in the accompanying drawing and pointed out in the claims hereto appended; it being understood that various changes in the form, proportion, size,V and minor details of construction, rnay be resorted to within the scope of the claims, without departing from the spirit or sacricing any of the advantages of the invention.

To more clearly comprehend the invention, reference is hereby made to the accompanying drawing whereinz- Y Fig. l is a vertical sectional view of a single unit dispensing apparatus and insert containen,

and showing one form of va puncturing device.

Fig. 2is a vertical sectional view of a single unit dispensing device showing an insert container and a modied form of puncturing device.

Fig. 3 is a vertical section of a dispensing apparatus showing a plurality of dispensing units of the type of Fig. 2, and means for rotating and puncturing same.

Fig. 4 is a vertical section of a dispensing apparatus showing a plurality of dispensing units of the type of Fig. l.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of an insert container.

Referring to the drawing, wherein like characters of reference designate correspondingk parts, Ivisy an outerV holder body preferably of general cylindrical shape open at its'top, (I I), and thereat flanged radially outwardly as at I2, and having a bottom wall, (I3), which has an opening, (I4), centrally therein. Mounted at the lower end of the outer holder in any suitable manner such as by spot-welding or threaded connection, is a funnel, (I5), the upper end of which has communication with the opening, (lll) of the outer holder, (Iii) the lower end of the funnel being tapered as at It to provide an outlet. k The lfunnel is provided with a strainer, (Il), which may be placed at any point laterally transversely of the funnel and preferably at the juncture of the wide and narrow tapered portions of the funnel, as illustrated in Figs. l, 2, 3. The outer holder is provided with a handle member, (i8), of any suitable type whereby the holder may be supported. A puncturing device generally indicated, (I9), is operatively mounted in association with the outer holder, (lli), and, as exemplified in Fig. 1,

consists of a bent rod, (2li) which has a portion, f

nipulation so as to reciprocate vertically approximately centrally of the outer holder, (I). It is preferred that the outer holder shall not be designed to hold oil of itself Without use of a puncturable inner container, (26), which is flared or fianged radially upwardly and outwardly at its upper end as at 21, and is provided with an imperforate bottom, (28). Connected to the upper peripheral rim of the ange, (21), is a tag, (28a) which is detachable from the inner container by means of perforations, (29), the tag being adapted for printing thereon suitable identification marks of the producer of the oil, such as a trademark, the name of the producer, and the capacity quantity of the container, and identification matter of similar nature may be also pointed on the container body wall if desired. The. tag, (23a) is, by reason of its position on the periph# eral rim of the inner container, out of contact with the oil when the container is filled to its measured capacity, and therefore, may be kept clean for removal and delivery to the purchaser. It is preferred that the side Wall of the container, (25), shall be tapered from the bottom to the flange so that the containers may be nested for shipment, The inner container is preferably made of paper which is relatively thin and readily puncturable by the point of the spear-head, (25) and yet thick enough and tough enough to eliminate its being easily torn or fractured, one such paper being parchment of medium weight. While the containers are in nested form, they reinforce each other and when the inner container is placed in the outer holder, (I9), before being filled with oil, the inner container is reinforced 1' by the walls of the outer holder, (Ill), and with the bottom, (28), of the inner container overlying the opening, (lf3), thereof. Obviously, the rod, (lil), is moved upwardly to clear the wall of the outer holder, (I0), and rotated in the guide,

' (22), clear of the plan of holder (l0) in order to insert the inner container (26) therein. When the inner container (26) is inserted within the outer holder, (2li) it is then lled with oil from the supply barrel and is carried to the motor velucle where the bottom wall of the container, (2t), which overlies the opening, (I4), may be punctured by downward manual operation of spear-head, (25) so that the oil may flow through the funnel, (i5), and into the crankcase of the motor.

In Fig. 2 a modified form of device is shown for puncturing the bottom wall of container, (2G) from its underside as at 28. This modication of the puncturing apparatus comprises a shaft, (3d), slidably extending through the handle member, (I8), and has at its upper end a coil spring, (Si), and finger press button, (3,2), by which the shaft, (39), is adapted for vertical finger manipulation which in turn operates lever, (33), which is fulcrumed at 34 in the wall of funnel, (l5), the opposite end of the lever having mounted thereon a spear-head, which upon the pressing down of the finger button, (32), is moved upwardly so as to puncture the bottom wall of container, (28), through opening, (I4). The spear-head is preferably barbed so that upon its spring-actuated recoil, the fracturedV edges of the paper wall will be pulled downwardly so as to permit free downward ow of the oil from the paper container into the funnel, (l5),

as shown at 35. n Fig. 3 the dispenser apparatusv is shown as a modification of the single unit device of Fig. 2, as being adapted for a plurality of units which are connected by a web. or frame,

(36), which is keyed on a shaft, (31), by pins at 31a, the shaft having a handle member, (39), at its upper end by which the plurality of units may be carried in the hand of the operator with substantially central displacement of weight and by which the plurality of units may be rotated. The puncturing apparatus in Fig. 3 operates similarly to that in Fig. 2, that is, the rod, (30) is slidable Within the shaft, (31). The outer holders, (IB), and inner containers, (26) in Fig. 3, being adapted for rotation by shaft, (31), they may be rotated above a single puncturing device and successively punctured, the oil from all punctured containers emptying into the upper end of funnel, (l5), thus making necessary an outer shell or housing, which is provided with a plate, (4|), which spans the lower portion thereof and serves as a track` upon which the outer containers, (I0), may glide inthe rotation thereof. This plate, (4|), has a relatively large opening, (Ma), therein which will underlie the opening, (I4), of the holder, (I9) and this plate also serves as a lower bearing for shaft, (31a), which is.suit, ably mounted for rotation therein, and maintained in its mounting by cotter pin, (42). Means are provided for indicating when the holder', (lll), and container, (26), are relatively positionedfor puncturing and consists of a pin, (43), actuated by a spring, (44) mounted in thrust bearing, (45), the pin, (4,3), engaging theI notches, (45), when the container is in position to be punctured. The lever, (33) in Fig. 3 may be pivotally fulcrumed as at 4,1 on ar boss 48, mountedk on plate, (4l), in. stead of on the funnel as in Fig. 2.

In Fig. 4, the dispenser apparatus is shown as a modification of the single unit of Fig. l, as adapted for a plurality of units which are stationary or nonrotatable, relative to the shell, (40), and the puncturing member, (i9), may be drawn upwardly to clear the upper edge of the containers and be manually rotated in the guide, (22,), from unit' to unit successively. and one or more of the inner containers, (26), separately punctured, the upper end of funnel, i5, underlying all of the containers, (26), so as to facilitate the speed of drainingV oilfrom two or more containers simultaneously, similarly to the arrangement in Fig. 3.

It is preferred that each of the puncturable containers have a specifiedA capacity, preferably measuring one quart up to the beginning of the flange, (21), so that the customer may readily perceive the measure that he is receiving and particularly when a purchase ismade of two or three quarts. It 'isA also preferred that the dis-v pensers having a pluralityy of units be provided with four of such units so-asto measurean even one gallon.

This apparatus is for the purposeof facilitating control by the manufacturerl or rener of the productv from the refinery to the ultimate retail consumer and to provide. against substitution of cheaper grades or other kinds of oil than those which are the-genuine product of the producer, which are usuallyrtrade-marked brands nationally advertised. It is becoming customary, in order to avoid this substitution, for the manufacturer or renner to provide separate small'size containers ofone quart tol one gallon, hermetical'.- ly sealed. This isr expensivelsince the container is a complete loss, andthe manufactureror refinencan have-no assurance thatthe cans `are not refilled with asubstituteproduct andthe puncture thereof resoldered. since the container is,

III

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usually yemptied directly into the motor at the service station.

By the apparatus described in this application, the manufacturer can continue to sell oil in bulk, in large drums, or barrels with his trademark brand thereon and furnish to the retail dealer or service station the number of puncturable paper containers equal in capacity to the gallonage of the large drum or barrel. He can then advertise nationally in connection with his product that with every purchase of the oil, a tag will be delivered to the customer, and the customer will demand the tag for his own protection and will not accept oil unless the tag is accordingly delivered. Thus the number of paper containers used would exactly equal the quantity of genuine oil which was sold. If the retail dealer were inclined to supply spurious oil in the paper containers then the dealer would be short of the tagged containers to dispose of the remaining genuine product, since the customer would demand tags equal to the amounts of oil purchased from the retail dealer.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:-

i. A iiuid dispenser comprising Yan outer holder adapted to receive an inner container, said outer holder having a support member upon which the lower portion of an inner container may rest, a pan underlying and spaced from the support member and having an outlet opening through which fluid may iiow, and means adapted for puncturing a lower portion of an inner container when inserted and resting upon the support member of the outer container, said last mentioned means being normally inoperative for puncturing the inner container upon insertion of the inner container within the outer holder and being manually operable to puncture the lower portion of the inner container.

2. In a fluid dispenser, an outer holder having an inlet adapted for receiving therein an insert puncturable inner container and having an outlet opening through which fluid may now, and means for puncturing the bottom wall portion of the inner container, said last mentioned means being normally in spaced relation to the bottom wall portion of the inner container and manually movable to puncture said bottom wall portion.

3. A uid dispenser, comprising a plurality of outer holders each adapted to receive therein an inner container of puncturable material, said outer holders each having intermediate their ends a perforated support on which a bottom wall of an inner container may be supported, and manually operable means for puncturing the bottom wall of an inner container in each holder.

4. A fluid dispenser comprising a plurality of outer holders each adapted to receive therein an inner container of puncturable material, said outer holders each having an opening at a lower portion for outow of fluid, a shell terminating in a funnel at its lower portion and having a flared upper portion underlying the outflow openings of the holders, and means for puncturing an inner puncturable container in each holder through the outow opening of the holder, said puncturing means being normally out of puncturing relation with the inner container when said inner container is in the holder and being adapted for manual operation to puncture a lower portion of the inner container.

5. A device of the character described comprising an outer holder adapted to receive therein an inner container and having an outlet opening through which uid may flow, said outer holder having a support member intermediate its ends adaptedfor receiving and supporting the inner container free of puncture thereof, and means normally free of puncturing relation with the inserted inner container, said means being operable through the horizontal plane of said support member for puncturing the lower portion of the inner container whereby iluid in the inner container may iiow to the outlet opening of the outer container.

6. A fluid dispenser comprising a plurality of outer holders, each adapted to receive therein an inner container of puncturable material, said outer holders each having a support on which a puncturable container may be supported, manually operable means for puncturing a lower portion of the wall of an inner container in each holder, and a pan underlying said holderssaid pan having a single outlet whereby iluid from punctured containers in said holders may flow from a single outlet. v

7. A fluid dispenser comprising a plurality of holders each adapted to receive therein an inner container of puncturable material, said holders each having an opening at its bottom, said holders being connected for rotation in unison, means for supporting said plurality of holders for rotation in unison, means for puncturing an inner puncturable containerr in each holder and a pan disposed underlying said puncturing means, said pan having an outlet from which fluid may flow.

8. A fluid dispenser comprising a plurality of Y outer holders each adapted to receive therein an inner container of puncturable material, said outer holders each having an opening at the lower portion for outflow of iluid, .a shell terminating in a funnel atits lower portion and having a fla-red upper portion underlying the outflow openings of the holders, and means for puncturing an inner puncturable container in each holder through the outflow opening of the holder, said puncturing means and said outer holder being relatively rotatable one to the other. Y

FRANK S. SEXTON. 

